Opposition MPs not allowed to meet farmers, will tell Speaker: Sule

The delegation members included Sule, DMK's Kanimozhi, Shiromani Akali Dal's Harsimrat Kaur Badal and TMC's Saugata Roy.

New Delhi: A group of 15 MPs from 10 opposition parties visited Ghazipur on Thursday morning to meet protesting farmers but were allegedly not allowed by Delhi Police, following which NCP MP Supriya Sule said the issue will be brought to the notice of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

As the police officials deployed at the spot allegedly did not allow the opposition leaders to move ahead and meet the farmers sitting on protest on the highway despite repeated requests, there was a lot of resentment among the visiting parliamentarians.

They were thus forced to return empty-handed from the border entry point, Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule told IANS.

“Fifteen members of Parliament from 10 political parties had gone to the Ghazipur border. But the Delhi Police stopped us from meeting the farmers; we will raise this issue with the Lok Sabha Speaker,” she said.

The delegation members included Sule, DMK’s Kanimozhi, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal and TMC’s Saugata Roy.

Hundreds of farmers have been protesting at Ghazipur entry point on the Delhi-UP border since November 26 last year to demand the repeal of three central agricultural laws.

A number of leaders of various political parties have visited the spot in the last over two months to extend their support to the protesters.

Eleven rounds of talks between farmer leaders and the Centre have failed to break the deadlock over their demands on MSP and repeal of The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers Empowerment and Protection Agreement on Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.